The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has called on employers in the public and private sectors to make mandatory the demand of Certificate of National Service or Exemption Certificate duly issued by NYSC before offering employment.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brig-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday at the Corps Legal Aid Workshop organised by the corps.
The workshop has the theme: “ Harnessing the Potential of the Corps Lawyers for Improved Legal Aid Services.
Ibrahim said that demanding from employees their NYSC certificate was in line with
the provisions of Section 12, Sub-Sections 1 and 2 of the NYSC Act.
“ For the purposes of employment anywhere in the federation and before employment, it shall be the duty of every prospective employer to demand and obtain from any person who claims to have obtained his first degree.
“ This is at the end of the academic year 1973-74, or as the case may be, at the end of any subsequent academic year following a copy of the certificate of National Service of such person issued pursuant to section 11 of this Act.
“ Such other particulars relevant thereto as may be prescribed by or under this Act.
“ It shall also be the duty of every employer to produce on demand to a police officer, not below the rank of an assistant superintendent of police, any such certificate thereof,” he said.
Ibrahim also advised employers to present the NYSC certificate of their existing employees to the scheme for authentication.
He noted that the Corps Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS) was a programme under the NYSC Community Development Service (CDS), implemented by Corps Lawyers through to handle litigation in Courts on behalf of indigent trial for minor accused persons, standing criminal offences.
He added that it was also formed for the payment of Court fines for some prison inmates who could not afford same.
According to him, through this process, many persons have regained their freedom and thereby decongesting the correctional centers.
The director general therefore called on the Legal Officers and Corps Lawyers to redouble efforts at enlightening the general
public on the provisions of the NYSC Act.
He said this would elicit greater commitment to the performance of stakeholders’ roles and as well curtail infractions such as evasion of service, failure to report within the period indicated in the call-up instrument, and abscondment, among others.
Similarly, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim, Director, Legal Services, NYSC said the workshop was aimed at bringing together the Corps Lawyers involved CLAS in order to harness their potentials for improved Legal Aid Service to the indigent members of their host communities.
Ibrahim said the workshop would no
doubt provide a veritable platform for the Corps Lawyers and the Legal Officers of the Scheme to acquire new knowledge and skill in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) aspects of the law to enhance their service delivery.
“ It is also our expectations that at the end of this workshop the Corps Lawyers and other participants would be equipped with the requisite knowledge on ICT Laws and regulations in Nigeria to enable them enlighten members of their host communities in the course of their Corps Legal Aid activities.
“I therefore enjoin all workshop participants to
take full advantage of this programme to sharpen their knowledge in order to be more
effective and efficient in service delivery as Corps Lawyers and Legal Officers,” he said.
Delivery goodwill message, Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) called for the protection of data while calling on the corps to ensure data collected were stored in a secured condition.
Danbatta however commended the corps for the workshop while calling on them to continue its drive to ensure data collection for economic planning.
